Ditching-machine.



PATENTED 00T. 17, 1905.

C. P. GABLB.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 19,1905.

/NLE/VTOI? CAREY FL @ABLE W/rn/ESSES;

ATTORNEYS CAREY PHILLIP GABLE, OF RUSTON, LOUISIANA.

DlTCl-llflGNlCl-HNE.

' Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1'?, 1905.

Application led June 19, 1905. Serial Nor 266,086.

To LZ/f whom ift may concern:

Be it known that I, CAREY PHILLIP GABLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ruston, in the parish of Lincoln and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Ditching-liiachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a ditchingmachine designed to dig` new ditches or clean out old ones; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts of a portable machinedesigned to take up the dirt and deposit it on one side or the other of the ditch, as hereinafter more fully described with reference to the drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. Q a top plan view, of the machine.

In the drawings, A A represent two parallel and longitudinally-arranged base-bars, formed at one end like runners to permit the machine to be drawn across the field after the manner of a sled. These base-bars are connected by cross-bars B B', and on each basebar are mounted standards C C,- above which and to which is securely fastened the two parallel sills l) .D of a deck E.

Un the cross-bar B in a suitable step-bearing is mounted a vertical derrick-post F. To this post is firmly attached an inclined derrick-arm G, which extends upwardly and outwardly and whose upper end is connected to the top of the derrick-post by a tensionbrace H.

I is a rotary adjustable platform lixed rigidly to the derrick-post and adapted to turn with it aboutits vertical axis. This platform rests on top of the deck E and, if desired, may be provided with friction-rollers where it moves upon the deck. r[his platform and the parts carried by it, however, are about balanced by the derrick-arm and its parts, so that it moves easily about its pivotal center. This platform has erected upon it four standards J, carrying at their upper ends side bars in which are journaled the ends of two horizontal cross-shafts K L. @ne of these shafts K is provided with a crank-handle t' or powerpulley, by which itis turned, and has also rigidly keyed to it a gear-wheel b', which meshes with a smaller gear-wheel Z, fixed to windlassshaft L, and on this shaft beside the gearwheel Z is a winding-drum l. On this winding-drum is wound the end of a cable M, which passes over a sheave f in the derrickpost and thence over one of two sheaves g g in the outer end of the derrick-arm, and thence down to a sheave in a tackle-block N, and thence up to the other sheave g in the derrick-arm and down again to the hitch-eye of the tackle-block. To the lower side of the tackle-block is hitched the bail of a scoopbucket O, having` a hinged bottom o, which is to be equipped in the usual way with a triplatch.

The rotary platform attached to the derrickpost is of less length than the deck below it, and in the deck in rear of the platform is mounted to turn about a vertical axis a capstan or turning-postP, having at its upper end a cross-head p, forming handles for turningl it. rIhe lower end of this turning-post is stepped in a bearing in the cross-bar B of the lower frame, and to the lower portion of this post is rigidly attached a horizontal sprocketwheel Q, around which passes an endless chain belt R, which extends to and surrounds a similar sprocket-wheel Q, fixed rigidly to the lower portion of the derrick-post, so that when the turning-post is rotated by a man standing on the deck in rear of the rotary platform the latter, together with the derrickpost, its arm, andv the load in the bucket, may be swung from side to side to deposit the dirt to one side of the ditch, as seen in dotted lines.

In the operation of this machine the scoop or bucket is permanently connected to the tackle-block by its bail and is iilled by sitting on the point (as any other ordinary scraper) and turning, the crank. NVhen the scoop comes into line with the sheaves, it is drawn up. To aid in filling, the scoop has on its rear end one or more handles t, as seen in Fig. 1. After the scoop is raised the derrickpost, the platform, the derrick-arm, and the loaded bucket are then together swung to one side by the manipulation of the capstan or turning-post and the earth dumped in the usual way by tripping-I the latch Aof the bucket.

In making use of my invention I may operatc it either by hand, horse-power, steam, or by any other kind of motor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--- 1. An excavating-machine, comprising a base-frame having an upper deck, a platform mounted above said deck but leaving the rear part of the same exposed, a derrick-post with outwardly extending arm, winding gears mounted upon the platform and having' a cable extending to the outer end of the derrick-arm, a sprocket-wheel fixed to the derrick-post be- IOO IOS

low the deck, a vertical turning-post arranged in bearings in rear of the platform and extending above the exposed rear end of the deck, a spocket-wheel fixed to the lower portion of the turning-post, and a chain belt connecting the two sprocket-wheels substantially as and for the purpose described.

9J.v An excavatingmachine, comprising a deck having a vertically-pivoted derrick with excavating devices at one end anda verticallypivoted turning-post at the other end, meehanisrn connecting the two for turning the derrick and a windlass and frame mounted above the deck and fixed to the derrick and resting upon the deck at a point in front of the turning-post substantially as described.

3. An excavating-machine comprising two base-bars formed as runners, vertical stand'- ards mounted on the same and a deck carried by said vertical standards; a platform mounted above the deck, but leaving the rear part of the same exposed, standards and journalbars mounted on the platform, a driving-shaft with gear-Wheel and a windlass with gear- Wheel both mounted upon the platform-frame; a vertical derrick-post having a braced and outwardly-extending arm, a cable extending from the windlass to the outer end of the derrick-arm, a tackle-block attached to the cable, a vertical turning-post arranged upon the deck in rear of the platform and having' an attached sprocket-wheel below the deck, a chain belt passing around the sprocket-wheel, and a second sprocket-wheel fixed to the derrick-post and embraced bythe chain belt substantially as and for the purpose described.

CAREY PHILL'IP GABLE. Witnesses:

J. M. SIMS, J. S. ATKINsoN. 

